I can understand the business decision made in terms of direct revenue, as some people pay for the privilege of boarding early, but I also see a poor business decision in terms of goodwill and more frustrated travelers, and then revenue as a result of that. I know I’m already rethinking my future flight plans, even though my kids are older now and my boarding order won’t change.

If United felt it was necessary to make a change, I propose they should have lowered the age of pre-boarding children to families with children under two years rather than eliminating the concept altogether. This new policy is very short-sighted.

Boarding early allows families two things they need:

1. extra time for getting situated in their seats so that they are not blocking other customers trying to get to their own seats
2. the assurance they will have room for their carry on items to be stowed. Parents of small children have a need for more carry on items than your typical traveler to care for and occupy their children.

Why do I propose compromising to two years?

Families with children under the age of two have considerably more concerns in traveling than those with older children.

For many families in this group, they are still learning how to navigate family travel. Let’s face it: travel is stressful enough. And when you throw babies and young children into the mix, with their needs, and then the irritated looks those parents often receive (often even while a child is showing excellent behavior), it just makes it even more stressful.

If you have to cut some of the pre-boarding out, cut out the older, yet still young, children who can communicate better, walk on their own and also carry their own belongings. Allow parents of those under the age of two who have much more to manage in strollers, car seats, babies and nasty looks from fellow passengers a few extra moments to get settled.

Families with small children, especially under the age of two years, most often need extra time to board and allowing them that makes a better flight experience for everyone.

Here’s why:

Families with children under the age of two years are those most often carrying car seats (which airlines agree is the safest way to travel) which need to be installed and take up room and time to do so. Now that families may not board early, more travelers will be stuck waiting in the aisles as parents struggle to get the seat (or seats) installed quickly. I can tell you from experience that buckling those car seats into an airline seat is not an easy task. It is even harder when you don’t have anyone to help you. And someone has to stand in the aisle when it is being buckled because there simply is not enough room between the seats to stand in front of the seat and get the job done.

Then, even if there is not a car seat involved, a parent has to get the child into his or her seat, buckle the child, stow the child’s busy bag and then give the child something with which to occupy him or her often before the parent can stow the rest of the belongings and get herself buckled. Again, this often requires standing in the aisle, especially if there are multiple children, while everyone else behind them has to wait.

Families with small children also most often have the need to carry additional items such as food, diapers, a change of clothes, books and toys which they may need access to during the flight.

Families wanting to eat on a United flight must carry on their own food, as United’s food choices are not kid friendly.

Allowing families to board early insures there will be room for their carry-on bag to be stowed in the overhead bins, in addition to what is being stowed at their feet.

With more people carrying their bags onto a flight to avoid checked baggage fees, the overhead bin real estate is tight. Families most often need this space, whereas other travelers do not. (Extra items are a necessity for families with young children. Extra items are most often a convenience for other travelers.) Later-boarders often are not allowed to carry a bag that won’t fit in the overhead bin because all the bins are at capacity by the time they board.

Do we really want to risk having small children being hungry or uncomfortable on a flight because there isn’t enough room for their carry on bag?

Sure, those customers who pay more might like the luxury of getting on the plane and being settled, but let’s talk about basic needs here… and the fact that no one is happy when a baby is crying. By denying parents of young children the option to board early and be able to carry on needed items, you are asking for trouble, especially on a delayed flight.

I think United Airlines is making a big mistake and I hope other airlines do not follow this example. Families travel. Families buy plane tickets. Families do not want to inconvenience others. United’s decision is causing them to do that on their flights.

What do you think about United’s decision? Have you flown with children under the age of 4 or 2? If so what have your experiences been? What would you propose to United or other airlines, as an alternative? Please share your thoughts in the comments and with United Airlines.

And please share this post via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and email. The airlines need to know we care about traveling!

We checked the Texas State Capitol website and slid in just in time for the last guided tour of the day. (Free tours are hosted daily.)

My kids are 6, 8 and 10, and I wasn’t sure if they would love it or be bored.  They all really enjoyed our walking tour of Boston last summer, so I was hoping for the best.

My oldest, who is a boy LOVED it. But he is also in the midst of a unit on Texas history at school. We had been on a hunt to find a statue of Stephen F. Austin, so he was especially delighted to find that.

My middle guy liked it and even asked a few questions. My daughter, our youngest, was a trooper and smiled a lot, but that could have been because she got to sit on her dad’s shoulders here and there.

We all liked looking up into the rotunda:

And then, once we were up higher, we liked looking back down and checking out the art on floor where we had been standing. It featured seals of the six flags that have flown over Texas. (You did know that Texas was once its own country, right?)

We also go to see were bills are debated and laws are made:

When I was younger, I loved visiting the Capitol Building and it was exciting for me to see my kids drinking it all in, as well.

Have you visited your state Capitol as a family? What did your kids think of it?

I can camp in a tent and I don’t abhor camping in a tent but, I’ll admit it, I do not love it, either.

Earlier this month my boys’ Cub Scout pack was invited to take part in a Mom & Me camp out.

Yep, just the moms and the boys. In tents. In the somewhat wilderness.

And as much as I griped about it to my husband (poor guy), I went with a smile anyway… and actually even ended up having a great time with my guys.

We pitched our tent, I turned off my phone, and we pretended to rough it for just one evening, one night and the better part of the next day. We had a great time talking, playing, hiking, playing games and building breadboxes which will probably be used to house trophies and ribbons in their bedrooms instead of bread in the kitchen.

The best part was the time together,  undistracted. And that really was priceless.

Do you camp with your family? Would you be up for a Mom & Me camp out? (Or would you grumble like I did… and then treasure the time?)

Wanna go see something fun and different with the kids and get a little relaxing in? Want to enjoy all your favorite foods—just the way you like them, or maybe try something a little more exotic?

Sure, I love boarding a plane and taking off for some place completely new.  But I also enjoy skipping the jet lag or travel exhaustion and instead uncovering true gems much closer to home.

This Spring Break, consider taking the opportunity to do and see all the things you’ve intended to do but haven’t… stay at home and be a tourist in your own town!

Think about it… you probably like where you live, but seldom get to really take it all in because you’re too busy getting the things done that “have” to get done. With a little planning, you can still feel like you are on vacation without even having to pack a suitcase and spend money on a hotel.

How can it be done? I’ll tell you:

Determine your budget.

Just like any other trip, first think about how much you want to spend. Figure it out and plan around it.

Book your trip on your calendar.

Determine at what time and day vacation will begin and end and then treat those times and dates as if they were flight reservations. This will help you get in the right frame of mind for getting things prepared and then getting back to ‘real’ life. Don’t plan non-vacation things during those dates. This is not the time for home repair or other appointments. If you would like to allow for those types of things while taking a break from work or school, plan a day less for your “vacation” and schedule those things before or after the “trip.”

Research local attractions and build a vacation schedule.

You must have a few ideas of places you’d like to check out. Treat this trip like any other and put some time into researching the really fun and interesting things to do, narrow down your choices and plot them on your schedule. Call ahead and ask some of the venues for restaurant suggestions- You might even hear a few new ones you haven’t tried.

Consider at-home activities.

What at-home activities do you wish you had time for but never feel like you do? Pull out the dominoes, board games and DVDs you might have been waiting for the perfect time to watch. Borrow games, books and movies from neighbors and friends. Think about those really messy recipes and science experiments you never do with your kids… is this the time? Put these things on your vacation schedule. Want a little relaxing time alone? Now’s the time to figure out how you can make it happen. And if you want to use a sitter, call and schedule now.

Think about food.

Plan your meals in a way that you can do as much cooking in advance as possible so that when you are on vacation, you just have to do final preparations on your meals. If you plan it all out, shop and prepare in advance, you can make it feel like you are on vacation. When you do your pre-vacation shopping, be sure to buy everything you need. DO NOT plan for trips during vacation to pick up one or two things…. Then you risk your week feeling like any other week.

Think about food some more.

Are there restaurants in town you want to try but always forget about? Now is the time to check them out. Or follow the advice you asked for back in the Research Local Attractions section. The trick to making this special, is to treat it like a trip out of town: Start making your list early and explore a new spot or two. Plan your budget to accommodate one special night out… whether special means upscale and fancy or a spot with a great sandpit for the kids to build sandcastles is up to you.

Make a vacation pact with your family.

What will the ground rules be in terms of doing ‘regular’ stuff while on vacation? Like I said, you want to feel like you are on vacation, not stuck at home. You might consider a no-phone, no-email or no-internet strategy… or maybe just a limited –use policy. Would you use those things if in a hotel or on a campsite? If you answer the phone, you could get caught up in things you wouldn’t be in if you were away. And vow to yourself not to use this time to re-organize any part of the house. This is vacation. You must close your eyes to the to-dos around the house and just enjoy.

Prepare for the vacation.

You don’t have to pack your bags, but prepare yourself. Do any laundry, shopping, bill-paying, errand-running and other things you might do if leaving town for a few days. You want the vacation time to be just that: a vacation. If you have clutter that will call your name, make a plan to get it cleaned up by vacation or find a way to hide it from yourself. Cover it. Box it up. Do whatever it takes. But plan ahead so you don’t get sucked in to doing jobs instead of enjoying your time with family.
Mark the start of vacation with something out of the ordinary and enjoy the treasures around you… your family, your home and your area’s gems. Start with a special vacation meal to celebrate and take pictures to commemorate your fun.

I hope this got you thinking.

By planning ahead, every day can feel like vacation… and all for a fraction of the price. Bon Non Voyage!

Want to know a secret about the best place to go to teach your kids to ski? And the best time to go?

Three families invited us to join them on a ski trip to Angel Fire, New Mexico over Super Bowl weekend and, to tell you the truth, I could not think of any way the trip could have been any better.

The slopes were not crowded at all, the routes were well-marked and the instructors I met were top-rate. And, in terms of skiing, the prices were fantastic.

My kids kept telling me this was the best vacation EVER! (And my kids have been to some pretty spectacular places!!)

Seriously, y’all, if you are looking to take your family skiing, consider this for next year… and maybe I’ll see you there!